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Project Updates for collection: 2010 iCAP Projects

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  1. Fume Hood Energy Conservation Pilot Project - Funding Letter

    Associated Project(s): 
    Fume Hood Shut the Sash Campaign
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    Fume hoods are one of the largest sources of wasted energy in laboratories because of inefficiencies in fume hood use. This proposal specifically funds a Fume Hood Energy Conservation Pilot Project in the National Soybean Research Center (NSRC), in which ways to reduce fume hood energy waste through behavioral interventions will be explored.

    Small changes in behavior such as keeping hoods closed when not in use can have large impacts on energy conservation, but behavioral changes can be difficult to achieve. This project adapts Harvard University’s highly successful “Shut the Sash” program to the particular needs of Labs in NSRC, first by working closely with “early adopters” — labs that are actively interested in reducing fume hood energy use — to develop protocols, reminders, and reinforcement/tracking systems that help reduce fume hood-associated energy waste, and then by reaching out to other labs in NSRC. The long-term project goals are to make NSRC a model for the campus in fume hood energy conservation, and to develop an approach to fume hood energy conservation which can be readily applied to other labs and buildings on campus.

    Attached Files: 

  2. Soil Sample Funding Agreement

    Associated Project(s): 
    Sustainable Landscapes Plan
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    There is a growing interest in doing several native plantings at specific buildings and undeveloped areas around campus. However, there is no real information on the soil at these locations. This project is looking to provide the data needed to successfully and efficiently manage these planting projects. Several students will take soil core samples from each site and provide the samples to a commercial lab. The data will all be analyzed in comparable manner by the same lab. The project team will take 170 samples/subsamples with an 8” soil probe from these sites. The project team, Facilities and Services, and interested faculty and students will select these sites. The goal is to have an initial database of certain buildings and sites with usable soil sampling data: pH, fertility, and basic grain size. The analysis of the samples can be complete within two months of sampling.

    Attached Files: 

  4. methods for student engagement related to campus infrastructure

    Associated Project(s): 
    Educate Future Leaders

    Students can participate with campus sustainability projects related to infrastructure in the following ways:

    • Provide concepts and ideas that then go through the formal design and implementation
    • Observe installations, if appropriate for that task
    • Monitor results, if installed in appropriately ADA accessible areas
    • Work with the dept. to provide input to design teams, if allowed by the departmental project leader
    • Propose projects to departments

  6. Conservation Budget Recommendation (ECONS003) - Assessment with comments

    Associated Project(s): 
    ECBS Recommendations Summary
    iCAP Working Group (iWG)
    Energy Conservation Efforts
    Retrocommissioning (RCx)

    The iCAP Working Group (iWG) met on May 31, 2016, to discuss and start the assessment of the SWATeam recommendation ECONS003 Conservation Budget. They supported the Continued Funding for Energy Conservation (ECONS003 Conservation Budget) recommendation. The iWG's official comments for this recommendation was:

    "Strategic investment in energy conservation, including recommissioning and preventive maintenance, offers the campus a unique opportunity to achieve long-term savings in utility costs while also advancing the objectives of the Illinois Climate Action Plan. In contrast, failure to invest in conservation, while it may appear to offer short-term financial savings, will only lead to higher future utility costs; this is analogous to “eating the seed corn.” Campus efforts have already led to $8M/year savings.
    This SWATeam recommendation describes a number of key issues and needs that we recommend be addressed. Due to the major impact of this recommendation, the    iCAP Working Group plans to transmit this to the Sustainability Council. However, due to the timely nature of budget discussions, we recommend that iSEE meet with the Provost to share this recommendation."

    See attached the iWG assessment complete with official comments from all the iWG members.

    See SWATeam recommendation of ECON003 Conservation Budget

     

    Attached Files: 

  13. UC Solar

    Associated Project(s): 
    Sustainability Engagement and Outreach

    Last chance to learn about solar at a Power Hour tomorrow at Common Ground

    Last chance to learn about solar at a Power Hour tomorrow at Common Ground
     

     

     

    Solar Urbana-Champaign 
    Surpasses 250 kW goal!!

    We are extremely proud to announce that we have surpassed the 250 kW benchmark! Right now we have 280 kW and counting. As you know, due to our program design, all participants get a total of 3% off their solar array now that we have collectively reached 250 kW. We have only one more Solar Power Hour remaining, so now's your chance to attend if you haven't already. Our final Power Hour is tomorrow night (Tuesday, May 10) at the Common Ground Food Co-op. Last December, we launched the program at Common Ground, and had no way of knowing how incredibly pro-solar the community would be. Tomorrow as we convene there again, we can look back at a stellar program in a stellar community. You are truly an amazing bunch! You can still let your friends, neighbors, relatives, and networks know about this program and how they can go solar. Help spread the word to your networks! Forward this email to 3 of your contacts!

    FINAL SOLAR POWER HOUR:

    Questions? Concerns? peterm@midwestrenew.org.

     

     

    The Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) promotes renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable living through education and demonstration.

    To learn more about our work, visit midwestrenew.org.
     

    Learn more and sign up at SolarUrbanaChampaign.com

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  14. ECBS SWATeam Meeting Minutes

    Associated Project(s): 
    Energy Dashboard Project
    Energy Conservation and Building Standards (ECBS) SWATeam
    Green Lab Program
    Fume Hood Shut the Sash Campaign
    Eco-Olympics

    At the ECBS SWATeam meeting this week, Sam Wilson, a grad student in Communication, presented his ongoing research efforts on fume hood behaviors, which will tie into the development of our Green Labs Initiative.  Big Picture Recommendation discussion continued as the team worked on making clear connections to iCAP 2015 in the document, which is set to be submitted by the end of next week.  The online Energy Dashboard has been updated, courtesy of Mike Marquissee.  Eco-Olympics results indicated competing buildlings across campus achieved up to a 10.6% reduction in energy usage (Lundgren Hall).  Grad student Anna Tanaglia presented the success of public speaking sections (CMN 101) that focused on campus sustainability; students seemed to enjoy these topics and some have expressed interest in getting more involved in campus sustainability efforts.  Claudia presented a social marketing campaign class project on student involvement in campus sustainability efforts, the findings of which may guide future campus engagement efforts.

    Attached Files: 

  15. Archived info - previous project description

    Associated Project(s): 
    Utilities Master Plan for Energy Production and Distribution

    The Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP), completed in 2010, identifies several goals related to energy production and distribution on the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) campus. The iCAP called for a detailed study of the University's Energy and Utility systems. That study is now ongoing and is intended to be interactive with the sustainability goals of the iCAP. The University is working with a multi-disciplinary consulting team to study the requirements and opportunities necessary to safely and reliably meet the current and future campus energy needs. The areas of study will examine factors including safety, system reliability, environmental impacts, environmental permit requirements, cost, budget constraints, pending/likely changes in legislation and regulations related to energy utilities, fuel costs, industry trends, innovative technologies and sustainability. Note that the study is limited to the Utility enterprise. Comments regarding improvements in transportation and buildings should be made directly to the sustainability office.

    To that end, we are reaching out to the broader campus community to understand what ideas you have in mind that might help the University community meet our energy-related iCAP goals and objectives. If you have specific ideas we would love to hear from you. Please use this form to offer suggestions.

  16. Weekly Update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center
    Departmental Bike Sharing

    Hello all, This past week was good.  We saw better weather and as a result a huge bump in attendance.  The newly reorganized space has gotten lots of compliments.  We'll see if it works in the long run.  We sold 6 bikes for $740, 1 build-a-bike for $30, 5 memberships for $140, and grossed $1490.80.  Lots of cool things going on.  I took a bunch more bikes out of the warehouse, and am building them to sell/make space.  I setup the wheel building class for May.  Lily and I presented the cargo bike to FAA, and agreed to work on sustainable transportation solutions with them.  I got a lot of work done on the annual reports in anticipation of the end of the fiscal year.

    This week I will be making a short report of sustainable transportation options for FAA, cleaning up the shop, helping with the Bike Census, participating in Ride with the Chancellor, and continuing to work on the annual reports.

    From the Campus Outpost,
    James Roedl

  19. EGen003 PPA term recommendation - Assessment with all comments

    Associated Project(s): 
    Clean Power Agreements Off-Campus
    iCAP Working Group (iWG)
    eGen Recommendations Summary

    The iCAP Working Group (iWG) met on March 30th, 2016, to discuss the recommendation EGen003 PPA Term and started the assessment. iWG's official recommendation was:

    "We understand that the University is currently advocating for state legislative relief from a number of procurement-related restrictions, and we recommend that the University include in this effort a request to eliminate the 10-year limit on Power Purchase Agreements. If successful, this would allow (but not require) our campus and Prairieland Energy, Inc. to enter into long-term Power Purchase Agreements for renewable energy (including electricity and other renewable fuels) which may offer more favorable terms, perhaps even being less expensive than traditional energy options."

    See the attached file for the complete assessment of this recommendation with comments from all the iWG members.

    See SWATeam recommendation EGen003 PPA Term here.

    Attached Files: 

  20. Weekly Update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Bike Center
    Departmental Bike Sharing

    Hello all, This past week was busy.  We lots of folks coming in to fix their bikes, but the weather made it weird some days we were empty others we had a 15 minute wait for repair stands.  We saw a lot of new faces, and made some new friends.  The shop sold 4 bikes for $630, 1 build-a-bike for $35, 5 student memberships for $125, 1 community membership for $40, and grossed $1517.  I talked to some of the people involved in the cargo bike loans, but was unable to get any progress yet.  I was unable to build a new desk welcome area, but did acquire a commercial hook wall for free!

    This week I will be working on meeting with people for the cargo bike program, and getting things ready for the residents hall donation program.  I will also build more bikes to sell.

    From the Campus Bike Center,
    James Roedl

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